Danny Farquhar called up to help Mariners’ bullpen

Originally published May 17, 2013 at 10:02 pm
Updated May 18, 2013 at 12:45 am

At 5 feet 9 and 180 pounds, Farquhar, called up from Class AAA on Friday, doesn't look like a guy capable of a 95 mph fastball and 91 mph cutter. But Farquhar can indeed bring the heat on a regular basis and also mixes in a curveball just so hitters can't get a bead on...

CLEVELAND — New Mariners relief pitcher Danny Farquhar insists he can handle the ribbing about his height — or lack of.

At 5 feet 9 and 180 pounds, Farquhar, called up from Class AAA on Friday, doesn’t look like a guy capable of a 95 mph fastball and 91 mph cutter. But Farquhar can indeed bring the heat on a regular basis and also mixes in a curveball just so hitters can’t get a bead on him.

“It’s funny because growing up, I was actually a bigger kid,” said Farquhar, 26, who takes the spot of Hector Noesi, optioned to AAA after his 4-1/3 innings in a spot start Thursday night. “And I think that’s why I don’t have any issues whenever somebody makes fun of me because I’m short. And I never have any problems. I don’t have Little Man’s Syndrome, because I was always a bigger kid. And then, when I was 12 I just stopped growing.”

Noesi was sent down because he won’t be available to throw for several days and the Mariners needed bullpen insurance, knowing rookie Brandon Maurer was going Friday against the hot-hitting Indians.

The Mariners liked what they saw from Farquhar this spring after he came over last summer in the Ichiro trade. Farquhar had been closing games for AAA Tacoma, working at deploying his curveball with more frequency.

“The curveball definitely is a big off-speed pitch that I need to continue to throw for strikes, continue to mix in there,” Farquhar said. “Just because I have the cutter and the fastball — they’re two hard, hard pitches. Even just showing a hitter the curveball … it’s so much easier and more fun to pitch when you have extra weapons like that.”

Setback for Pryor

It’s looking like injured relief pitcher Stephen Pryor is still some time away from returning from that torn lat muscle he suffered a little over a month ago. The Mariners placed Pryor on the 60-day disabled list Friday — freeing up a spot on the 40-man roster for new reliever Farquhar — and manager Eric Wedge indicated the pitcher’s recovery hasn’t gone all that smoothly.

“It’s just been slow coming,” Wedge said. “He tried to play catch the other day, and he didn’t feel great. So, we kind of backed him off that a little bit. For a guy that size, that injury, with the way he throws, it’s just not the best scenario, let’s put it that way. You know what I mean? We knew when we started out, it was going to be some time. But I don’t think we know how much right now because he’s kind of on his own timetable.”

Note

• Franklin Gutierrez went 1 for 5 as a DH in his first minor-league rehabilitation start for AAA Tacoma on Thursday. The Mariners had hoped he’d play the outfield for Tacoma on Friday, but that was changed pregame because of a “slick field” and he was moved to a DH role.